Aztruz App

Designing an Astrology-Based Dating App from Zero · Android & iOS Jul 2026 – Aug 2026

Jul 2026

Project initiated · ongoing toward launch

4 roles

UX · UI · IxD Supervisor · UX-QA

Flutter + M3

Material Design 3 · Android & iOS

Full autonomy

Freedom to solve every usability problem

My Rol

UX Lead
IxD
QA-UX
UI Design
IA
QA-UX
UIKit - Design System
UI Design

I owned UX and UI from the first client conversation to the QA of the built app. The project had no UX budget, so I started from the user stories and defined the architecture, flows, interaction patterns and interface myself. The client gave me the freedom to fix the problems I found.

What Makes This Project Different

This was a new product with no legacy to redesign. The challenge was combining two domains that rarely work well together: astrology content (natal chart, numerology, synastry) and a dating mechanic (matching, chat, safety), in one coherent mobile product with no planned UX role.

The Problem

The client wanted an app where astrological data drives matching: natal chart, daily horoscope, synastry and an AI "Oráculo" that suggests matches. The initial scope was a list of user stories, with no architecture, flows or interaction criteria. The risk was a feature-heavy app that asked for too much data at signup, hid its monetization logic and left safety (reporting, blocking, photo moderation) undefined. The goal: turn those stories into a usable product that monetizes without breaking trust.

Process — From User Stories to a Tested Prototype

01.

Client Empathy & Benchmarking

I started by understanding the business model, audience and constraints. I then benchmarked astrology and dating products to see which patterns users already know and where there was room to differentiate.

01.

Client Empathy & Benchmarking

I started by understanding the business model, audience and constraints. I then benchmarked astrology and dating products to see which patterns users already know and where there was room to differentiate.

02.

Information Architecture & User Flows

The backlog was 60 user stories across 9 epics, a highly technical document (APIs, database, admin panel) with few screens defined. With no UX phase budgeted, I used it as the base of a professional IA: a hierarchy map with every screen and its section, and a mind map with the core idea and its pillars. They fixed the navigation before any screen was designed. On that structure I designed the flows, starting with monetization: the ad flow for free users (persistent banner, interstitial with a 90-second cooldown, no-fill fallback, opt-in rewarded video and the paywall path), with its edge cases. The diagram acted as a contract between design and development.

02.

Information Architecture & User Flows

The backlog was 60 user stories across 9 epics, a highly technical document (APIs, database, admin panel) with few screens defined. With no UX phase budgeted, I used it as the base of a professional IA: a hierarchy map with every screen and its section, and a mind map with the core idea and its pillars. They fixed the navigation before any screen was designed. On that structure I designed the flows, starting with monetization: the ad flow for free users (persistent banner, interstitial with a 90-second cooldown, no-fill fallback, opt-in rewarded video and the paywall path), with its edge cases. The diagram acted as a contract between design and development.

Mental map
Hierarchy Map
User flow

03.

Mid-Fidelity Wireframes

I built the wireframes with Claude as a design partner to iterate on structure quickly. The Oráculo flow got the most attention as the core value: question or plan mode, 3-step refinement, interests, radius, results and every error state.

03.

Mid-Fidelity Wireframes

I built the wireframes with Claude as a design partner to iterate on structure quickly. The Oráculo flow got the most attention as the core value: question or plan mode, 3-step refinement, interests, radius, results and every error state.

Mid-fidelity wireframes
Validation with stakeholders

04.

UI + Full Prototype, Tested on a Real Device

I moved to high-fidelity UI with a complete, connected prototype, tested live on my phone through the Figma mobile app. A mobile product has to be judged by thumb reach, scroll and real-size legibility.

04.

UI + Full Prototype, Tested on a Real Device

I moved to high-fidelity UI with a complete, connected prototype, tested live on my phone through the Figma mobile app. A mobile product has to be judged by thumb reach, scroll and real-size legibility.

Full prototype
Navigation by sections
Navigation by sections

Interface Design — Decisions Built for Trust and Retention

05.

Onboarding & Minimum Data

Five short steps. Only name and birth date are required; birth time is optional and explains what is lost without it (ascendant and houses).

05.

Onboarding & Minimum Data

Five short steps. Only name and birth date are required; birth time is optional and explains what is lost without it (ascendant and houses).

06.

Authentication

Google, Apple and email with verification code, real-time password rules and full recovery, including the expired-link state.

06.

Authentication

Google, Apple and email with verification code, real-time password rules and full recovery, including the expired-link state.

07.

My Astrology

Natal chart with Sun, Moon and Ascendant at a glance; layered detail, numerology, polarity, elements and synastry with filters.

07.

My Astrology

Natal chart with Sun, Moon and Ascendant at a glance; layered detail, numerology, polarity, elements and synastry with filters.

08.

The Oráculo

3 skippable steps. Blurred photos revealed through chat, with a visible monthly limit explained as Free vs Premium.

08.

The Oráculo

3 skippable steps. Blurred photos revealed through chat, with a visible monthly limit explained as Free vs Premium.

09.

Connections & Safety

Swipe actions, reporting with reason and mandatory screenshot, and block/delete dialogs with clear consequences.

09.

Connections & Safety

Swipe actions, reporting with reason and mandatory screenshot, and block/delete dialogs with clear consequences.

10.

Profile, Privacy & Subscription

Granular privacy, selfie verification, payment with declined-card recovery and account deletion with typed confirmation.

10.

Profile, Privacy & Subscription

Granular privacy, selfie verification, payment with declined-card recovery and account deletion with typed confirmation.

Beyond the Brief

The user stories covered business logic but left design gaps that I solved on my own initiative: the ad flow (cooldown, rewarded video, no-fill fallback), user reporting with mandatory evidence, empty and limit states, explaining what is lost without birth time, selfie verification, and accessibility. The business rules (70/30 matching, photo reveal, moderation) came from the client; my contribution was turning them into clear, trustworthy experiences.

UX-QA

During development I took the UX-QA role: reviewing the Flutter build against approved designs, Material 3 consistency, interaction patterns and states, and logging every deviation. Having done the design, I could tell quickly when something drifted.

From Zero to a Complete Product

Starting Point

  • A list of user stories

  • No architecture or flows

  • No error, empty or safety states

  • No UX budget

Result

  • Professional IA and documented flows

  • Complete prototype tested on device

  • Consistent Material 3 patterns

  • Safety, monetization and edge cases designed

  • A client very happy with the outcome

Current Status and Expected Results

Project in progress · launching soon

Feb 2024

Inicio del proyecto · en curso hacia lanzamiento.

4 roles

UX · UI · IxD supervisor · QA-UX

Prime Vue → DS

UIKit extendido hasta Design System propio

Libertad total

Decisiones de diseño y producto 100% propias

Get in touch

Get in touch

I treat every project I take on as if it were my own. This means tough decisions, rigorous design criteria, and improvements you'll see in your product, your conversions, and your team's workflow. If this sounds like what you're looking for, let's talk.

© All rights reserved 2026 – Erick Rodriguez

E-MAIL
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
X (TWITTER)
DRIBBBLE
Get in touch

I treat every project I take on as if it were my own. This means tough decisions, rigorous design criteria, and improvements you'll see in your product, your conversions, and your team's workflow. If this sounds like what you're looking for, let's talk.

© All rights reserved 2026 – Erick Rodriguez

E-MAIL
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
X (TWITTER)
DRIBBBLE
Get in touch

I treat every project I take on as if it were my own. This means tough decisions, rigorous design criteria, and improvements you'll see in your product, your conversions, and your team's workflow. If this sounds like what you're looking for, let's talk.

© All rights reserved 2026 – Erick Rodriguez

E-MAIL
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
X (TWITTER)
DRIBBBLE